Convertible ski-sled



Oct. 10, 1961 F. w. TAGGART 3,003,778

CONVERTIBLE SKI-SLED Filed Jan. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Flg- 8" INVENTOR.

CIZANCJS W. TAGG'AET A FORNEYS United StatesPatent "rice 3,003,778 CONVERTIBLE SKI-SLED Francis W. Taggart, 3503 Clinton St, Bellaire, 'Olfio Filed Jan. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 785,914 3 Claims. (Cl. 280-12) This invention relates to improvements in ski-sleds and more particularly to a novel and improved convertible assembly of this kind whose components are devised to be capable of being assembled in difierent relations to each other to provide a one-runner or a two-runner ski sled.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple inexpensive and rugged .skisled of the character indicated above, which .is suitable .to be put up and sold as a compact kit whose components can be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled, by uns'killedpersons, toform or provide ski-sleds.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly of the character indicated above which is composed of a small number of simple components,including a ski-runner assembly, a seat assembly, apedestal assembly, and assembling means therefor, the components being easily separated and assembled to convert the assembly from a dual runner sled to a single'runner sled.

A further object of the invention is to provide strong, lightweight, and durable assemblies of the character indicated above, whose components are devised to be efiiciently and economically made of relatively small-gauge sheet steel or aluminum, and which are adequately braced and Iigidified by forming them with radii, embossing .or corrugating, and angle notching.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specifictorm of the invention 7 is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a single runner ski-sled of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged and tragmentary'horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the single psedestal or upright component of FIGURES .1, '2, 3 and FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIGURE 4, wherein the seat component has hand FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a dualrunner skisled conversion;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 7-7 of'FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the seat component supporting upright means reversed with respect to FIGURE 7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, and first to FIGURES l to 5, the numeral '12 generally designates a single runner ski-sled assembly of the invention which comprises two longitudinally 'COII'LI? gated ski-runners 14 utilized together as the runner com: ponents of a single runner. The runners 14- are'superimposed upon and are coextensive 'with each other, with the corrugations of the upper runner engaged in the concavities of the corrugations of the lower runner, and with aligned holes 50 in runners registered with eachother, and having assembling bolts 52 extending upwardly therethrough and provided on their upper ends with nuts 54, these bolts serving to secure the runners 14 together and to fixedly mount on the upper runner, pedestal or up- 3,003,778 Patented Oct. 10, 196i right means which here 'has the form of a single pedestal 58.

The single pedestal 58 comprises a lower section 60 comprising a pair of flat vertical rectangular and laterally spaced plates 62 having free horizontal upper ends '64 and having laterally outwardly extending horizontal longitudinal flanges 66 on their lower ends. At the meetings of the plates 62 and the flanges 66 the material thereof is indented at longitudinally spaced points, as indicated at 68, to provide angle notches serving as braces for maintaining the flanges 66 at right angles to the plates '62. On the opposite ends of the plates 62 are laterally inwardly offset portions which terminate in facing vertical channels 70. The assembly bolts 52 extend through holes 72 in the flanges 66, and their nuts 54 bear upon the uppersides of the flanges 66 to hold the pedestal 58 in place.

The pedestal 58 further comprises an upper section '74 which comprises a pair of flat vertical and laterally spaced plates 76, similar to but shorter than the plates 62 and of substantially the same height, which have on their endslaterally inwardly ofi set portions 78 which terminate infree vertical tongues 80 which are slidably confined in related ones of the channels 70 of the lower section plates 62, with the outer sides of "the upper section plates 76- be'aring slidably against the laterally inward sides of the plates .62, as clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Means for holding and locking the upper pedestal section '74 in vertically adjusted relation to the lower section 69, preferably comprises sets of upper and lower clamping bolts 82 and 84, respectively, which extend through selected and registered holes 85 and 86, which are arranged in vertical rows at the ends of the plates 62 and 76, respectively.

Fixed on the upper ends of the upper pedestal section plates 76 are laterally outwardly extending longitudinal flanges 88, similar in form and arrangement to the lower section flanges 66 but canted rearwardly, and provided with holes spaced therealong, accommodating bolts 92,

A seat component 94 comprises a preferably rectangular and transversely elongated and horizontally disposed sheet metal plate 96 having spaced reinforcing corrugations 98 running lengthwise thereof and'having a continuous depending flange 100 which is joined to the edges of the plate 96 by a continuous reinforcing corrugation 102. The flange 100 has a continuous reinforcing rolled bead 104 on its lower edge. The flange 1% and the bead 104 together form harmless and comfortable hand grip means on the seat component 92.

The seat component 94, as shown in FiGURE 5, can be provided with upstanding handles 186 on its ends, and to this end, end portions of the plate 96 are provided with rows of bolt holes 108 which accommodate bolts 119 for securing the handles 1416 upon the upper side of the plate 94. The handles 166 comprise double angle forms, having upper and lower longitudinal and horizontal flanges 112 and 114, respectively, which extend laterally at right angles from opposite sides of and on the upper edges of vertical longitudinal webs 116. The flanges 112 and 114 have spaced therealong rows of bolt holes 118 optionally receiving the bolts 119 for securing the handles in place.

It is to be noted here that the handles 1%6 when disassembled from the seat component 94 of FIGURE 5 become, in the dual runner assemblies of FIGURES "6 to '8, the upright or pedestal means thereof, for mounting the seat component on the dual runners thereof.

The bolts 92 associated with the flanges 85 on the upper end of the upper pedestal section 74 pass through transverse rows of holes 129 provided at the middle of the seat component plate 96.

The dual runner ski-sled assembly shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, and generally designated 17), comprises a dual runner component, a seat component 94 and pedestal or upright means 58*. The runner component consists of two of the ski-runners 14 arranged in parallel spaced and coextensive relation.

The pedestal or upright means 58* consists of the two handles 106, with their lower flanges 114 secured by the bolts 52 upon the ski-runners 14 and overlying the side flanges 30 thereof, with the upper flanges 112 extending laterally outwardly beyond the side edges 24 of the runners, and secured to the underside of the plate of the seat component 94 which is the same as the seat component 94, at the ends thereof, by means of the bolts 11.9. This arrangement spacesthe runners 14 from each other at a minimum distance. Other parts which are the same as in the previous embodiment are designated by the su script b to the numeral designating said parts.

In the dual-runner assembly of FIGURE 8, generally designated 12 the structure is the same as that of Pi"- URES 6 and 7, except that the pedestal means, constituted by the handles 106, is disposed with the handles reversed, with the upper flanges 112 directed laterally inwardly and extending laterally inwardly away from the related side edges of the runners 14. This arrangement puts the runners 14 in the maximum spaced relation to each other. Other parts which are the same as in the previous embodiments are designated by the subscript c to the numeral designating said parts.

In the assemblies of FIGURES 6 to 8, a towing rope 122 can be secured at its ends to eyes 36 in holes 3:2 at the laterally inward side edges of the runners 14*.

Although there have been shown and described herein preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structures of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A convertible ski-sled comprising a runner means, a pedestal component fixed directly to and rising from an intermediate part of the runner means, and a seat component extending crosswise of the runner means and fixed on the pedestal means and spaced above the runner means, first means connecting said pedestal component to the runner means, and second means connecting the seat component to the pedestal component, said runner means comprising a single ski-runner and said pedestal component comprising a single pedestal, said single pedestal comprising slidably engaged lower and upper sections, and third means engaged with the sections and securing the sections in vertically adjusted relation to each other, said lower section comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical plates having upper ends and lower ends, lateral flanges on said lower ends bearing upon the ski-runner, said plates having forward and rear ends, laterally inwardly oifset vertical channels on said forward and rear ends, said upper section comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical plates having upper and lower and forward and rear ends, said upper section plates being disposed between and in sliding engagement with the lower section plates, laterally inwardly offset vertical tongues on the forward and rear ends of the upper section plates slidably confined in related channels of the lower section plates, and lateral flanges on the upper ends of the upper section plates upon which the seat component bears.

2. A convertible ski-sled comprising a runner means, a pedestal component fixed directly to and rising from an intermediate part of the runner means, and a seat component extending crosswise of the runner means and fixed on the pedestal means and spaced above the runner means, first means connecting said pedestal component to the runner means, and second means connecting the seat component to the pedestal component, said runner means comprising a single ski-runner and said pedestal component comprising a single pedestal, said single pedestal 4 comprising slidably engaged lower and upper sections, and third means engaged with the sections and securing the sections in vertically adjusted relation to each other, said lower section comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical plates having upper ends and lower ends, lateral flanges on said lower ends bearing upon the ski-runner, said plates having forward and rear ends, laterally inwardly oflset vertical channels on said forward and rear ends, said upper section comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical plates having upper and lower and forward and rear ends, said upper section plates being disposed between and in sliding engagement with the lower section plates, laterally inwardly offset vertical tongues on the forward and rear ends of the upper section plates slidably confined in related channels of the lower section plates, and lateral flanges on the upper ends of the upper section plates'upon which the seat component bears, said first connecting means extending through the ski-runner and the lateral flanges of the lower pedestal section, said second connecting means extending through the lateral flanges of the upper section plates and the seat component. 3. A convertible ski-sled comprising a runner means, a pedestal component fixed directly to and rising from an intermediate part of the runner means, and a seat component extending crosswise ofthe runner means and fixed on the pedestal means and spaced above the runner means, first means connecting said pedestal component to the runner means, and second means connecting the seat component to the pedestal component, said runner means comprising a single ski-runner and said pedestal component comprising a single pedestal, said single pedestal comprising slidably engaged lower and upper sections, and third means engaged withthe sections and securing the sections in vertically adjusted relation to each other, said lower section comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical plates having upper ends and'lower ends, lateral flanges on said lower ends bearing upon the ski-runner, said plates having forward and rear ends, laterally inwardly olfset vertical channels on said forward and rear ends, said upper section comprising a pair of laterally spaced vertical plates having upper and lower and forward and rear ends, said upper section plates being disposed between and in sliding engagement with the lower section plates, laterally inwardly offset vertical tongues on the forward and rear ends of the upper section plates slidably confined in related channels of the lower section plates, and lateral flanges on the upper ends of the upper section plates upon which the seat component bears, said first connecting means extending through the ski-runner and the lateral flanges of the lower pedestal section, said second-connecting means extending through the lateral flanges of the upper section plates and the seat component, and third connecting meansextending through the upper and lower pedestal sections in selected vertically spaced holes provided therein and securing the upper section in vertically adjusted relation to the lower section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Austria Sept. 25, 1934 

